Odds & Ends: PC Setup update; PowerBooks and 666; more
Odds & Ends: PC Setup update; PowerBooks and 666; more
Apple includes 666 virus with PowerBook repairs We still get occasional reports (see previous item) that a PowerBook repair, shipped back from Apple, comes complete with a copy of the "666" virus installed. For example, Raul Gutierrez writes: "I know that the repair center was the source of the virus, because the PowerBook was brand new when it went in (the screen was bad). I had only booted it once. When it came back I noticed the bad extension on my first boot before using any media whatsoever." Apple continues to deny that this is possible.
Out of date Virex for sale? Scott Rose claims that Network Associates/McAfee is still shipping Virex 5.9 (with 12/31/98 Definitions updates) with new copies of Virex - even though 5.9.1 is the latest version and there have been monthly definitions updates since December. I guess they expect you to visit their web site as soon as you install the product.
BBEdit Lite error on Japanese OS versions Ross Gable started getting "end-of-file (-39)" errors when trying to open BBEdit files with the recently released BBEdit Lite 4.6 - on his Mac running a "hacked" English/Japanese version of Mac OS 8.6. He reported this to Bare Bones Technical Support, who replied: "We have indeed seen this problem on Japanese systems as well and we are looking into this."
USB Zip drive only work on "true" G3s? Mark Lewis recently purchased a Keyspan USB PCI card to add to his G3 upgraded UMAX S900. He attached a USB Zip drive to it and installed the needed Iomega and USB software. He writes: "After restarting and seeing what seemed to be a successful process, I inserted a disk into the drive and BAM, the machine locks up, flat. Watch cursor, complete lockup. I try different disks, combinations. Same result. I sent an email to Iomega and they replied as follows: "At this time, Iomega only supports the USB Zip drive on true G3 systems with on-board (motherboard) USB controllers. The USB Zip drive has not been designed for your configuration and might not be compatible. I apologize for any inconvenience that this issue has caused."
Update: Ken Glinka uses a USB Zip with his Performa 6400/200 with the Vimage cache G3 upgrade and the Keyspan USB PCI card and has not had any problems. So, while Iomega does not officially support this arrangement, it may still work.
Pantone "bug" in DeltaGraph 4.5 Susan Eskite writes: "DeltaGraph 4.5 will allow you to create graph elements that are filled with tints or patterns of Pantone colors and export them as EPS files for use in page layout applications. These elements will display accurately on the screen and will print correctly as composites to black-and-white or color Laser printers. However, when you print them as color separations to prepare negatives for offset printing, all graph elements that are comprised of tints or patterns of any Pantone color simply vanish! The only graph elements that make it to film are those that consist of solid Pantone colors. Any text that is supposed to be a Pantone color disappears as well." SPSS Tech Support confirmed this and told Susan Eskite that if she wanted chart elements to appear as different colors, she should only select different solid Pantone colors.
Cythera bug reports Mac Gamers Ledge web site has been tracking bug reports for the new role-playing game Cythera. A 1.0.1 update is expected soon to fix the worst of these bugs, especially "Quitting unexpectedly without saving because of low memory and a 25% speed reduction due to hard drive access." Also check the Ambrosia message board.
HP printer help Having trouble setting up a Hewlett-Packard printer? A new MacInstruct tutorial may help.
GraphicConverter 3.7 should be out by next week.